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Wednesday, December 27, 2017

How to Become a Better Business Writer: Part Two

How
to Become A Better Business Writer: Part One covered the basics.Now it’s time to dive back in and learn how
to add the finesse. Aladdin didn’t understand the magic of his lamp until he
started to polish it.Your research and
organization are done.You’ve finished
the first draft.Now you need to go back
through your document to refine it into a communication you can be proud to
send out or give to others.

Keep It Interesting.Vary the length of the sentences you use to
keep the flow of your communication interesting. Compare and contrast. Use
metaphors and quotations.Pepper your
writing with stories that substantiate the points you are making. Avoid cliches
and archaic phrases as well as acronyms, buzzwords, gobbledygook, and
jargon.

Don’t Leave Readers Confused.Use
specific, concrete words to convey meaning. Vague references leave room for
significant misunderstanding.Fuzzy
details leave your readers filling in the blanks -- and they may not have the
right answers.

Use the Active Voice. Have
your subject ‘do’ the action. Your writing will be more interesting and
alive.Passive voice should be used
sparingly.Action verbs make writing
more exciting. The give even more life to your writing than colorful
adjectives.

Use Good Grammar, Punctuation, and Spelling. Careless writing costs you business.When your writing is careless and sloppy,
clients assume your work is careless and sloppy.Your computer’s grammar and spellcheck will
catch some mistakes but leave many behind for your readers.It’s up to you to catch the rest of
them.Here are some additional pointers
that will help improve your writing.

•Capitalize
proper names only.

•Use hyphens
between adjectives describing each other.

•Write out ‘and’
and ‘percent’ instead of using ‘&’ and ‘%.’

•Use Parallel
Structure by putting related ideas in the same form and tense in sentences and
bulleted lists.

Edit. Edit. Edit. Proofread
and then have someone else proofread your work.Even professional writers need to go back over their work.Make sure your reasoning is logical. Cover
alternative arguments and conclusions. Check your facts for accuracy. Cite your
sources. Sometimes it helps to put your document aside overnight and look at it
the next day with a fresh pair of eyes.You’ll be able to be more objective.Do you have a colleague or friend whose advice you respect?Ask them to look your writing over for you.

Make Your Document Visually Appealing. Your document
will be easier to read when you allow adequate white space. Format your text
thoughtfully with bold headlines, sub-headlines, bulleted lists and indention.
They act as signposts to direct readers and make your document more
attractive.Be sure to use a typeface
that is easy-to-read.

Make
your document easier to read by avoiding widows and orphans -- short or single
lines of type at the bottom or top of a page.They are not aesthetically pleasing and slow readers down. Justify the
left margin only is also a reader-friendly strategy.It ensures there are no uneven gaps between
words and makes reading easier.

Add
colorful photographs, pictures, and other graphics -- when appropriate -- for
increased spark. And don’t forget to use good quality paper when your project
will benefit by it.

Effective
writing is clear, concise, and interesting.If you write with your readers’ best interest in mind and are sensitive
to their needs they will be appreciative and receptive always.